Manitobans go fourth, fifth in WHL draft

Hey there, time traveller!This article was published 2/5/2013 (1317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG -- A pair of Manitobans chosen early and the Brandon Wheat Kings were all newsmakers at the WHL's annual bantam draft this morning.

Right-winger Nolan Patrick of Winnipeg and centre Brett Howden of Oakbank were the fourth and fifth picks of today, Patrick taken by the Wheat Kings in the fourth slot and Howden, younger brother of Quinton Howden of the NHL's Florida Panthers, following in fifth to the Moose Jaw Warriors.

Patrick, 14, scored 75 points in just 19 games this season with the Winnipeg Hawks of the AAA Bantam Hockey League Division 1.

Howden, now 15, follows his older brother's path. Quinton played in Moose Jaw after being the bantam draft's first pick in 2007.

It was a big morning for the Wheat Kings at the day-long proceedings in Calgary.

Brandon, continuing a rebuild after this year's out-of-the-playoffs season, traded 19-year-old goalie Corbin Boes plus its pick later in the first round (17th) to Lethbridge to move up to the sixth pick, where it grabbed highly touted defenceman Kale Clague of the Lloydminster Heat. Clague set an Alberta scoring record for defencemen this season with 77 points in 33 games.

Then with the 25th pick, the Wheaties chose the top-rated Western Manitoba prospect, 15-year-old left-winger Tanner Kaspick of Brandon.

Two more Manitoba products were picked in the top 32 picks. Later in the second round, the Regina Pats selected defenceman Liam Schioler of West St. Paul. Schioler played this season at Shattuck St. Mary's in Minnesota.

With the 31st pick, the Kootenay Ice took centre Vince Loschiavo, 15, of the Winnipeg Hawks.

History

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